These Wilder Years (1956)
- Starring:
- James Cagney, Barbara Stanwyck, (more)
- Director(s):
- Roy Rowland
Synopsis of These Wilder Years
The MGM melodrama These Wilder Years marked the first onscreen pairing of Hollywood stars James Cagney and Barbara Stanwyck. Lonely middle-aged businessman Steve Bradford (Cagney) returns to his old town in hopes of finding the son he fathered 20 years earlier. Choosing his career over marriage and family, he got a girl pregnant and she gave the baby up for adoption. He goes to an orphanage ran by Ann Dempster (Barbara Stanwyck) to find out information about his son. They are attracted to each other, but she refuses to release the confidential files that could help him. He hires a lawyer, James Rayburn (Walter Pigeon), and proceeds to sue the adoption agency. Though he loses the case in the climactic courtroom scene, Steve ends up finding his son on his own, but he decides it's too late to forge a relationship. Instead, Ann introduces him to pregnant teenager Suzie (Betty Lou Keim), who needs his help. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi
Complete Cast of These Wilder Years
- James Cagney - Steve Bradford
- Walter Pidgeon - James Rayburn
- Don Dubbins - Mark
- Basil Ruysdael - Judge
- Will Wright - Old Cab Driver
- Dorothy Adams - Aunt Martha
- Herb Vigran - Traffic Cop
- Elizabeth Flournoy - Secretary
- Jimmy Hayes - Young Reporter
- Matt Moore - Gateman
- Sid Tomack - Jess, the Bartender
- Audrey Swanson - Saleslady
- Marc Platt
- Burt Mustin
- Jack Kenny - Chauffeur
- Ralph Neff
- Frank Connor
- Louis Towers
- John Maxwell - Board of Directors Member
- Billy Wayne
- Leon Tyler - Student Secretary
- Edna Holland
- Tom Laughlin - Football player
- Luana Lee - Stenographer
- Barbara Stanwyck - Ann Dempster
- Betty Lou Keim - Suzie Keller
- Edward Andrews - Mr. Spottsford
- Grandon Rhodes - Roy Oliphant
- Lewis Martin - Dr. Miller
- Dean Jones - Hardware Clerk
- Nesdon Booth
- William Forrest - Board of Directors Member
- Charles Herbert
- Harry Tyler - Doorman
- Charles Tannen
- Russell Simpson - Farmer
- James Ogg - Ad Lib Boy
- Kathleen Mulqueen - Prim lady
- Charles Evans - Board of Directors Member
- Janet Lake
- Bob Alden - Bellhop
- Don Burnett
- Michael Landon - Boy in Pool Room
- Emmett Vogan - Board of Directors Member
- Mary Ellen Hokanson
- Lois Kimbrell
- Mary Lawrence
- Ruth Lee - Miss Finch
- Director(s):
- Roy Rowland
- Writer(s):
- Frank Fenton, Frank Fenton
- Producer(s):
- Jules Schermer
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